Shoe last



Dec. 10, 1929. J K, o uP 1,738,664

SHOE LAST Filed March 7. 92a

Patented Dec. 10, 1929 stares f naeee PAYE rarer.

SHOE LAST Application filed March 7,

This invention relates to improvements in sectional shoe lasts.

One of itsobjects is to provide simple, effective and reliable means for detachably locking the last-sections together and to so construct the locking means that a part thereof serves to limit the extent of separation of the sections.

Another object of the invention is to so organize and arrange the combined locking and separating limit mechanism as to permit the ready and complete separation of the lastsections when desired.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view of my improved last showing their parts in locked position. Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section thereof showing the parts in their unlocked and shortened 20 position. Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional elevation, taken in the plane of line 33, Figure 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

lhe last consists of a heel part 10 and a fore part 11, which are slidably connected along the inclined joint line 12 to permit shortening of the last in effecting the application and removal of the shoe to and from the same. The adjoining faces of these parts are provided with oppositely-facing shoulders 13, 14 to insure the top and bottom portions of the heel section being flush with the corresponding portions of the fore part section when such parts are set in the locked position shown in Figure 1. To hold the sections against lateral relative displacement and pulling apart lengthwise, one of them is provided with a dovetail tongue 15 which engages a corresponding groove 16 in the other part, these interengaging elements extending from the shoulders 13, 14 to the bottom side of the last.

The last-sections are preferably made of metal and the fore part 11 has a recess 17 in its bottom for receiving a renewable wooden or other sole 18 suitably fastened thereto. Applied to the rear face of the heel part 10 is a wooden set-up plug 19 which may be 1928. Serial No. 259,809.

provided consisting of a sleeve or bushing 21 contained in an opening 22 in the heel part 10 in axial line with the plugopening and intersecting the customary jack-spindle socket 23 thereof, and a'socket 2 1 in the fore part 11 arranged in line with said opening 22 andcontaining a sleeve or bushing 25 having a spring-pressed locking bolt26 adapted to project into locking engagement with the opposing end of the sleeve in the heel part as shown in Figure 1, A spring 27 applied to this bolt tends constantly to urge it to its locked position and a shoulder 28 limits its projecting movement; Cooperating with the locking bolt and slidably mounted in the heel sleeve 21 is a releasing pin 29 to which a spring 30 is applied for normally urging it to the retracted position shown in Figure 1. A shoulder 31 on this pin limits its re'-' tracted movement beyond the spindlesocket 23. V

The upper end of the jack-spindle 32, which 7 opposing'end of thereleasing pin is adapted to bear. In the locked positions of the lastsections, shown in Figure 1 and by full lines in Figure 3, this pin projects into the jackspindle notch and the locking bolt extends 7 across the jointline 12. Whenever it is desired to unlock the sections and slide the fore part on the heel part to shorten the last to apply or remove the shoe, the last is simply given a fraction of a turn in one direction or the other, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3, forcing the pin 29 in the proper direction fitsinto the heel-socket 23 for supporting the to release the locking bolt 26 from the heelsleeve 21.

The locking bolt is also arranged to act as r a stop for limiting the extent of the sliding action of the last-sections during the shortening opera ion thereof. To this end, the face of the dovetail groove 16 in the heel-section V is provided with a vertical recess which is gradually of increasing depth from the point short of the bottom of the heel-section where it terminates in a' shoulder 36 with which the locking bolt 26 is adapted to en'- gage in thepartially separated position of the ter are shifted to their closed or locked position, the locking bolt ridesalong the inclined bottom wall 9f vthe recess and when it reaches a position opposite the sleeve 21 it snaps into engagement therewith. This construction affords a simple means of effectually guarding the last-sections against accidental disconnection as well as a saving in time in their use.

When it is desired to efiect a complete separation or disconnection of one section from another, a suitable tool 37 is employed for holding the locking bolt clear of its companion stop; shoulder 36 during the sliding movement of the sections. As shown in the drawings, the tool is preferably inthe form of a relatively thin bar or strip which is insertable through an opening 38 located'in the joint lineof and atthe bottom sections and 100 which extends over the inclined recess 35 to cover its shoulder 3,6. In the use of the tool, thelast is turned onthe jack-spindleto autojunction of the releasing pin sleeve 21 to a last sections seen in Figure 2. When the lattions andf-extending Over? saidgshoulder for effecting a complete separation of the sections. A

2. The combination with a jack-spindle having a cam face at its upper end, of a shoe last comprising slidably connected heel and fore part sections, the heel section having a socket for receiving said spindle and an opening and a, stop shoulder inQth-e, joint face thereof, a combined locking bolt and stop carried by the fore part section for. engagement with saidheel-openi-ng inone position of-zthe sections and with said stop shoulder in another position thereof, and: a releasing means carried by the heelsection for operating said locking bolt arranged to, normally engage the cam face of said; spindle, whereby uponv turning the last about the spindle, axis-said releasing-means isactuated'in a direction to unlock saidbolt.

JOSHUA KiNe-NonrnnUP.

.matically shift the locking bolt to its released position where it is flush with the joint line 12 between the last sections, after which said tool is inserted as before described to assume the position shown by dotted'lines in Figure 1. I By thisconstruction, the last-sections can 7 V be quickly detached and new or difierentlyshaped fore parts may be substituted and used with the same heel-section.

The pitch of the joint line 12 of the last section is such as to automatically efl'ect the breaking or separation of the sections the moment the locking bolt 26 is released. When the last is placed in the shoe, the latter is stretched and this created pressure serves to initially effect the shortening of thelast when the bolt is unlocked and the last sections are free to slide on their inclined joint line.

I claim as my invention 1'. A shoe last,c0mprising separable, slidably connected heel and fore part sections having an interlocking tongue and groove,

the joint face of one of the sections having an opening and astop shoulder spaced therefrom,a spring-pressed locking bolt mounted in one of the sections and-normally engaging the opening in the other section to lock them 

